Getting raw data readings from different sensors is usually pretty straightforward. However, before the aqcuired sensor data can be interpreted, it is usally advisable to remove any unwanted noise (caused by bad power supplies, radio frequency interference or similar).

A digital low-pass filter is a simple and flexible way to clean up and smooth sensor data, here is an example:

To make your own circuit boards with things that you might mostly have at home already, follow the instructions in any of the videos below.

The process demonstrated in each of the videos below is similar:

1. Produce a circuit drawing (manually or using software).
2. Transfer the circuit drawing to the copper plated side of a blank circuit board, thereby masking the areas of the copper that will be part of your circuit.
3. Dissolve any unwanted copper (using an etching agent) that is not covered by the traces from your circuit drawing (nail polish, toner, etc..) .Continue reading Making Circuit Boards (with Household Items)

Many interactive artifacts still torment their users with loud, harsh sounding binary beeps and purposefully designed sounds are an exception. As powerful embedded microcontrollers have become ubiquitous and relatively easy to use, new opportunities for sound design in interactive products emerge. Their computing powers often exceed the capabilities of early personal-computers and they are embedded in many common everyday objects – even seemingly simple devices and appliances such as coffee makers, garage door openers and microwave ovens, etc. For most of the time these small computers run idle and are not used to their full extent. What if we could leverage this potential?Continue reading The Arduino as a Native Sound Generator